Tag: Participant Spotlight

Dr. David Okano, Professor (clinical), Assistant Dean for Advanced Dental Education Programs, Section Head of Periodontics, discusses bringing PerioDash to the University of Utah despite lacking a periodontics residency program. As a former AAP Foundation board member, Okano recognized PerioDash’s potential to inspire predoctoral dental students in periodontics.

The University of Utah adapted the program for their community by opening participation to all students rather than limiting it to those in specialized programs. The school achieved 57 student participants, supplemented by seven faculty and staff members and one alumnus in a periodontal residency program.

The event’s success stems from faculty-student relationships and the social atmosphere. Okano and colleagues personally subsidize registration fees, demonstrating their investment in student engagement. The approximately 100-person event included planning committees, student volunteers, and various recognition items including shirts and medallions.

Okano emphasizes that “periodontics is the ‘foundation’ upon which restorative and prosthetic care and smiles are dependent upon,” connecting the specialty to the Foundation’s mission. The Periodontics Section has become recognized as the most organized and cohesive section at the school.

Okano recommends consulting AAP Foundation staff, recruiting student volunteers for organizing committees, and maintaining a fun, collaborative atmosphere for schools considering PerioDash implementation.

Dr. Jin Hwang, United States Navy Periodontics program

What first motivated your program to take part in PerioDash?
I am spearheading the planning for PerioDash in our program as the AAP Foundation Student Ambassador and acting chief resident. I have participated the past two years, and this year I wanted to organize the event for our Navy Perio team to support the Foundation and highlight our specialty. The Navy Perio team is a periodontics residency program at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School, which graduates 3 or 4 periodontists yearly who then go on and serve Sailors, Marines and their families around the world.

What will your team’s 2025 event look like?
We are planning an organized 5K run on base with our perio staff, residents, assistants, and family and friends. We will run as team “Navy Perio” and may invite other specialty departments from our graduate school to join us. Documenting the event with photos and sharing them through our Navy Perio network will help extend the impact beyond the day itself.

What makes PerioDash valuable for your program and community?
PerioDash highlights our specialty and reinforces healthy living, which aligns with our mission in the Navy – to develop the future leaders of the Periodontal Community, Dental Corps, and Navy Medicine. For the wider Navy dental community, it creates a shared experience even when we are stationed in different places. Here at our base, it builds connections within our team.

How do you see the advocacy component shaping your team’s involvement?
The advocacy component is a good fit for our program. Having access to the Foundation’s social media graphics, educational handout, and talking points allows us to share information not only within our department but also across the larger Navy dental community and the families connected to it.

What would you say to other programs or practices considering PerioDash?
PerioDash works in any setting. For us, it is a base run that combines physical activity, professional pride, and community outreach, but it can be shaped to fit any community. Go Navy, Beat Army!

The Los Angeles Team, organized by Drs. Flavia Pirih and Beatriz Bezerra of UCLA, coordinates a city-wide PerioDash event involving UCLA, West L.A. VA, and USC.

The team was inspired by PerioDash’s ability to combine wellness activities with fundraising support for the AAP Foundation. According to the organizers, “We saw PerioDash as an opportunity to bring our residents, faculty, and friends together” while supporting the foundation’s mission.

The L.A. Team has become one of the largest and top-fundraising groups by maintaining an inclusive, celebratory atmosphere. The organizers emphasize that keeping the event engaging is essential—they sponsor student and resident registration fees, secure raffle donations from faculty, and offer prizes for fast runners.

Residents and students energize the effort through widespread recruitment and participation, with the Periodontal Study Club playing an instrumental role in engaging dental students.

Beyond fitness, PerioDash strengthens community bonds and provides visibility for periodontal health awareness among colleagues, patients, and the broader community.

Dr. Walt Colón, a periodontist at Periodontal Associates of North Florida and AAP Board of Trustees member, shared insights about his participation in PerioDash.

When asked what he loves most about being a periodontist, Colón explained: “I enjoy having specialized knowledge and skills that allow me to help patients in ways most others cannot.”

He was drawn to PerioDash as an opportunity to “support a worthy cause through a health-oriented, community-centered event.” His team responded enthusiastically to participation.

The planning process evolved organically each year, with different team members taking leadership roles. Dr. Jake Zellner led route planning and social media efforts, Dr. Aixá Guzmán focused on outreach to female professionals, and Colón managed logistics including food, signage, timing equipment, and coordination with the AAP Foundation. The practice donated to the Foundation and created custom event shirts rather than charging participants.

Colón noted the event significantly boosted team morale and created unexpected community connections. Staff from other practices adopted PerioDash as an annual tradition, referring doctors visited their office, and former team members reconnected with the practice.

Regarding public education, Colón stated the event serves as “a great platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and public education” about periodontal health and wellness.

He encouraged other periodontists to participate, calling it “a powerful tool to build team spirit, strengthen your referral network, and showcase your role as a health advocate.”